Reciprocating engine barring tool

ABSTRACT

This invention concerns a ratchet-type reciprocating engine barring tool. The tool design includes a multi-position, multiangular extension handle, tapered ratchet handle, ratchet head assembly, double tooth dog holding action and a capability for clockwise and counter-clockwise operation by a single unaided person.

United States Patent 1 ODonnell [111 3,838,614 [4 1 Oct. 1,1974

[ RECIPROCATING ENGINE BARRING TOOL [76] Inventor: Willard J. ODonnell, 537 Center Way, El Paso, Tex. 79915 [22] Filed: Dec. 12, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 314,374

[52] US. Cl. 81/60, 81/177 A [51] Int. Cl B25b 13/46 [58] Field of Search 81/60, 177 A, 177 G, DIG. 11, 81/63.2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 597,101 1/1898 Collings 81/177 A X 12/1930 Wiedeke 81/60 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 395,251 12/1908 France 81/60 541,358 5/1957 Canada 81/60 Primary ExaminerA1 Lawrence Smith Assistant ExaminerJames G. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James J. Brown [57] ABSTRACT This invention concerns a ratchet-type reciprocating engine barring tool. The tool design includes a multiposition, multi-angular extension handle, tapered ratchet handle, ratchet head assembly, double tooth dog holding action and a capability for clockwise and counter-clockwise operation by a single unaided person.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures RECIPROCATING ENGINE BARRING TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When mechanical work, such as valve adjustments, fuel injector adjustment and timing is performed on reciprocating engines the crankshaft of the engine must be manually rotated slowly and precisely in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions to facilitate proper adjustments. Because of the relatively small space available between the front of a reciprocating en gine and its associated components, such as the radiator, generator, water pump, the vehicular frame and the like it has heretofore been a difficult and timeconsuming operation requiring two individuals to perform valve adjustments, timing, fuel injector adjustments and the like on reciprocating engines. One individual to slowly and precisely rotate the engines crankshaft and one individual to check alignments and make the required adjustments. Additionally, available bar ring tools of prior art do not permit the rotation of an engine crankshaft in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Thus when desired alignment points are passed, even minutely, the mechanic employing prior art tools must rotate the crankshaft through a complete revolution to achieve the required alignment. Complete rotation of an engines crankshaft with a barring tool is a time consuming and frustrating task which significantly adds to the cost of engine repair and maintenance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a new and improved reciprocating engine barring tool of the ratchet type. An object of this invention is the provision of a tool which will allow a single unaided individual to rotate the crankshaft of a reciprocating engine in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions slowly and precisely without difficulty in such a manner that the majority of the individuals attention can be directed to the alignment Another object of this invention is to provide a two piece barring tool of solid, tubular and angular construction tapered at specific points to prevent contact and interference with engine and frame protrusions and engine accessories thereby enhancing barring operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide a barring tool that can'be effectively employed in either of two directions based on the requirement for clockwise rotation or counter-clockwise rotation of the engine.

Additionally, it is an object of this invention to provide a barring tool that may be effectively employed in multiple handle positions further facilitating barring operations regardless of engine component protrusions or compactness.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a uniquely designed double tooth dog action ratchet, which provides smoother movement of the dog around the outer-ratchet locking teeth, thereby lessening wear of the ratchet teeth and reducing the possibility of breakage of the ratchet teeth.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a barring tool as herein described which facilitates the utilization of standard, commercially available socket adapters and sockets of various lengths, thereby effecting economies in the use of the present invention in reciprocating engine barring operations.

These and other objects are accomplished according to the present invention which comprises an angular off-set extension handle, a rectilinear tapered ratchet handle and a double tooth dog ratchet assembly containing a unique lesser tooth. The extension handle possesses a multi-angle female receptacle on its mating end, thereby providing multiple mating positions with the similarly configured male connector of the ratchet handle. The unique design of the ratchet assemblys double tooth dog reduces wear of the ratchet ring and provides smooth mechanical movement of the dog from locking point to locking point on the outer ring of the ratchet. Each component of this tool is made of a suitable metal material, such as steel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the elongated lever.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the couplings which join the off-set handle to the elongated lever.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the ratchet locking components.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the double tooth dog components.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a typically utilized hexagonal socket adapter.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a typically utilized socket.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring in detail to the'drawings there is shown FIGS. 1 3 a barring tool device designed and constructed in accordance with this invention and generally designated by the numeral 6. The handle 1 can be of tubular construction with angular displacements at 2 and 3 to provide an off-set from the longitudinal axis of the tapered ratchet handle. This off-set is provided so as to permit the avoidance of obstructions that may interfere with its movement in a given direction. The mating end 4 of the off-set handle 1 evolves into an elongated multi-angular female receptacle 5 for the purpose of receiving the male coupling element 7 of the elongated lever 10. It will be seen from the construction thus shown that the handle 1 may be readily removed from and readily replaced onto the lever 10 in any of the various engagement positions around the axis of the lever allowed by the multi-angular construction of the male 7 and female 5 connectors of the ratchet handle and the off-set extension handle respectively, thus providing various positions of the off-set portion of the handle I in relation to possible interfering obstructions to the movement of the extension handle l posed by various engine components, th'us achieving avoidance of said obstructions and continuous movement of the extension handle 1 in a desired direction.

In FIGS. 2 7, the handle generally designated by the numeral 10 is acontinuous metal bar tapered into three identifiable segments. To permit its use in narrow portions of an engine component, the mating end 7 is cross-sectionally configured so as to mate snugly with the female receptacle of extension handle 1. Segment 8 tapers negatively in height from its junction with segment 7 in the direction of segment 9 whereupon they handle 10 while maintaining a negative taper throughout the length of segment 9 in height assumes a positive taper in breadth of such degree as to permit the installation of a ratchet assembly at the terminus of segment 9. On its terminus segment 9 contains a circular cavity 11 with curved wall to contain the ratchet gear. The outer edge of said cavity opens at one point on its periphery into an elongated compartment 12 which contains the locking device. A raised guard plate 13, an integral component of segment 9, reinforces the attachment of the ratchet cover plate 14 which is secured to the face of segment 9 by two countersunk machine screws 15 and 16. Therefore the ratchet gear is held to turn freely in a single direction in the body of the ratchet handle having a suitable cover plate 14 and being open at the bottom and top so as to expose the inner holding points of the ratchet gear for the insertion of a commercially designed socket adapter 17 which further powers the movement of the desired commercially designed socket l9 commonly found in a variety of lengths.

The socket adapter 17 is secured to the socket l9 and is not secured to the inner ratchet gear 18 for ease in changing direction of the barring tool by freeing the ratchet head from the adapter 17, reversing the ratchet head manually and replacing it on the adapter 17 which remains connected to the socket 19 which in turn remains attached to the desired engine component during the direction reversal operation. Similarly, the handle extension 1 may be removed from the elongated lever 10 for positioning or angle change while the elongated lever 10 remains attached via the socket adapter 17 and the socket'l9 to the engine component.

The female receptacle 4 of the off-set handle 1 and the male coupling element 7 of the lever 10 portray the multiplicity of angle positions possible during engine barring operations to evade the various protrusions of engine components.

The ratchet locking components are installed in a recessed cavity 12 beneath the ratchet cover 14. The ratchet locking mechanism includes a compression spring 20 providing recoil force to the rear portion 21 a of the double tooth dog 22. When the compression spring 20 is fully extended against the rear portion 21 of the dog, the lesser tooth of the dog 24 is securely locked flush with the outer tooth 28 of the ratchet gear 26 and is reinforced by the locking of the greater tooth 23 against the next preceding outer tooth 27 of the ratchet gear 26. The lesser tooth 24 of the dog 22 is more wide than the greater tooth 23 and is uniquely rounded at its outer extremety to assist the movement of succeeding outer teeth of the ratchet to the point where the greater tooth is seated and so accomplishing this movement without wear on the outer ratchet teeth and further diminishing the possibility of breaking outer ratchet teeth due to abrupt seating action normally occuring in use of a single tooth dog in a ratchet tool of this type.

While I have herein described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is recognized that various changes in the form, proportions, angle degrees and other minor details of my invention may be resorted to in order to accommodate the requirements of various makes and models of reciprocating engines without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Thus 1 consider myself entitled to all such variations as may lay within the scope of the following detailed claims.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of my invention. what I claim as new and pray issuance of letters of patent are: i

l. A barring tool suitable for use on reciprocating engines and comprising an elongated lever having disposed at one end thereof an offset handle means for turning a ratchet assembly means disposed within a circular cavity at the other end of said lever, said offset handle means being removably mated to the end of said lever so that it can be variably positioned with respect to the axis of said elongated lever; said ratchet assembly means being adapted to receive a removable adapter means for attaching sockets to said barring tool and comprising a ring shaped ratchet gear having outwardly directed gear teeth disposed on its outer circumference and means for removably attaching said adapter means there to from either side of said circular cavity, said ratchet gear being confined within said vcircular cavity by ring shaped cover plates disposed on either side thereof; said assembly further comprising a covered elongated cavity disposed adjacent to said circular cavity to accommodate a compression means and a dog which engages the teeth of said ratchet gear; said dog having a greater tooth and adjacent thereto a lesser tooth such that the greater tooth projects in the same direction beyond the lesser tooth but is narrower than said lesser tooth, each of said adjacent teeth having a pair of faces at right angles to each other and being of such dimensions to operably engage consecutive teeth of said ratchet gear when pressed into engagement therewith by said compression means, said lesser tooth being rounded on the comer most remote from said greater tooth to permit ease of movement of succeeding ratchet teeth to the point where the greater tooth is seated and to reduce wear on said ratchet teeth as well as the possibility of breakage thereof.

2. The barring tool of claim 1 wherein said means for accommodating a removable adapter means comprises inwardly directed gear teeth disposed along the inner circumference of said ratchet gear.

3. The barring tool of claim 1 which further includes said removable adapter means which comprises a T shaped plug having a flattened multi-sided head and attached thereto a narrower multi-sided shank portion,

which accepts standard sockets.

4. The barring tool of claim 1 wherein said lever tapers away from the end wherein the ratchet assembly means is disposed to a point of minimum cross-section configuration between the middle of the lever and the end mated to said offset handle.

5. The barring tool of claim 4 wherein the end of said lever mated to the offset handle is a male connector of multi-sided symmetric configuration which is larger than said point of minimum cross-section and which is adapted to receive a female connector of the same configuration on the end of said offset handle. 

1. A barring tool suitable for use on reciprocating engines and comprising an elongated lever having disposed at one end thereof an offset handle means for turning a ratchet assembly means disposed within a circular cavity at the other end of said lever, said offset handle means being removably mated to the end of said lever so that it can be variably positioned with respect to the axis of said elongated lever; said ratchet assembly means being adapted to receive a removable adapter means for attaching sockets to said barring tool and comprising a ring shaped ratchet gear having outwardly directed gear teeth disposed on its outer circumference and means for removably attaching said adapter means there to from either side of said circular cavity, said ratchet gear being confined within said circular cavity by ring shaped cover plates disposed on either side thereof; said assembly further comprising a covered elongated cavity disposed adjacent to said circular cavity to accommodate a compression means and a dog which engages the teeth of said ratchet gear; said dog having a greater tooth and adjacent thereto a lesser tooth such that the greater tooth projects in the same direction beyond the lesser tooth but is narrower than said lesser tooth, each of said adjacent teeth having a pair of faces at right angles to each other and being of such dimensions to operably engage consecutive teeth of said ratchet gear when pressed into engagement therewith by said compression means, said lesser tooth being rounded on the corner most remote from said greater tooth to permit ease of movement of succeeding ratchet teeth to the point where the greater tooth is seated and to reduce wear on said ratchet teeth as well as the possibility of breakage thereof.
 2. The barring tool of claim 1 wherein said means for accommodating a removable adapter means comprises inwardly directed gear teeth disposed along the inner circumference of said ratchet gear.
 3. The barring tool of claim 1 which further includes said removable adapter means which comprises a T shaped plug having a flattened multi-sided head and attached thereto a narrower multi-sided shank portion which accepts standard sockets.
 4. The barring tool of claim 1 wherein said lever tapers away from the end wherein the ratchet assembly means is disposed to a point of minimum cross-section configuration between the middle of the lever and the end mated to said offset handle.
 5. The barring tool of claim 4 wherein the end of said lever mated to the offset handle is a male connector of multi-sided symmetric configuration which is larger than said point of minimum cross-section and which is adapted to receive a female connector of the same configuration on the end of said offset handle. 